A classic American diner can become a kind of stronghold in its city — a place where truck drivers, neighborhood regulars, and travelers alike depend on it for diner staples at any time of day or night. Los Angeles has a few stellar diners locals frequent for comfort food, offering a kind of time-warped oasis in a city that can otherwise feel hyper-modern. In a roundup of the best 24-hour diners across America by The Takeout, the top pick from California is the Astro Family Restaurant. The diner has been an established mainstay in L.A. since 1959, with its signature space-age design, and has since been designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Today, Astro still serves a traditionally abundant menu of omelettes, milkshakes, and burgers, among many other comfort food staples.
The Astro Family Restaurant building is a distinctive example of Googie architecture, a style that rose to prominence in Southern California in the 1950s and ’60s, capturing the Space Age ideals of its time. Googie-style diners sprang up alongside the boom of car culture in Southern California, which shaped them as drive-ins and diners fronted by generous parking lots, like the iconic café in Amboy on a surreal stretch of Route 66 desert. The Astro building’s sweeping cantilevered roofline, zig-zagging railings, and sleek metallic accents exemplify that aesthetic.
Astro has operated as a diner since its inception, though the name “Astro Family Restaurant” dates to approximately 1974, when new ownership took over. It’s remained relatively unchanged ever since, and that’s what keeps customers devoted to it. “Last of a dying breed of authentic 24-hour LA diners. Genuine retro vibes,” wrote a local guide on Google reviews.
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Scoot into a retro booth at the Astro Family Restaurant
Exterior of the Googie-style Astro Family Restaurant in Los Angeles – @vincegoodroe / Instagram
You’ll find the Astro Family Restaurant in L.A.’s trendy Silver Lake neighborhood, known for its unforgettable food. For long-haul travelers, it’s about 30 minutes by car from the Los Angeles International Airport, traffic permitting. True to its 24-hour moniker, you can come to Astro for a bite or a cup of coffee at any time of day, any time of year. Inside, the diner features terrazzo floors, suspended bar stools, tiled walls, and vinyl-upholstered booths.
On the menu, you can choose from an eclectic medley of classic diner dishes, plus a few Southern Californian twists, like shrimp quesadillas and carne asada. Breakfast is served all day, with an extensive selection of egg specials, from Greek-style eggs (scrambled with olive oil and feta) to country eggs “smothered” in homemade chili. Most menu items fall within the $10 to $20 range, with some generous breakfast plates that come at reasonable prices. Between the portion sizes and steady flow of coffee, it’s unlikely you’ll leave hungry. “Portion was wild — had leftovers that held me down for another meal the next day. Coffee? Endless refills,” a Google reviewer wrote. Afterward, you can top off the visit with an ice cream sundae or milkshake from its dessert menu, or walk off some of the carbs and head to the lovely Silver Lake Meadows 15 minutes away.
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Read the original article on Islands.